Residents oppose garbage dumping at Kanchinadkapadavu

Residents of Sajipanadu, Sajipapady, Chelooru, Sajipamooda, Sajipa Munnur and Ira villages opposed the unscientific dumping of solid waste at Kanchinadkapadavu by Bantwal TMC and urged the district administration to solve the problem at the earliest.

The TMC staff, besides dumping the garbage, are also engaged in setting fire to plastic and other dry wastes, alleged former vice president of District Wakf Advisory Committee S Aboobakkar Sajipa.

He told reporters, “We are not opposed to the scientific management of waste. However, with the unscientific dumping of garbage, the entire area reeks of a nauseating smell.”

There are 300 families residing at Kanchinadkapadavu, he said.

A lower primary school, Ambedkar Bhavana, Hindu burial ground, multi-village drinking water project, daivastana, masjid and madarasa were located near the waste management unit. Bantwal TMC had identified 8.55 acres of land at Kanchinadkapadavu for setting up a waste management unit, way back in 2006.

Health department officials in their report submitted to the Bantwal tahsildar in 2008 had declared that the land was unsuitable for dumping garbage.

Similarly, even officials from the Mines and Geology Department in their report, had observed that due to the presence of laterite stones groundwater table within a radius of five kilometres would be polluted.

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) had issued permission for setting up the unit on the condition that TMC officials had to fulfill 21 conditions. The license also had to be renewed once in two years, explained Aboobakkar.

When the TMC attempted to dump garbage, Abbas filed a PIL in the high court in 2011. The high court initially stayed the dumping process and later allowed the TMC to take up scientific management of solid waste after fulfilling conditions laid down by the KSPCB.

From March 18, TMC had with police protection begun dumping the garbage at the site and flouted conditions laid down by the KSPCB.

“I have already filed a complaint to the KSPCB with the photographs,” he added.

Ira Gram Panchayat president Abdul Razak Kukkaje said though the revenue officials claim that the land has been identified at Sajipamooda village in Ira for the rehabilitation of the residents of Kanchinadkapadavu, the authorities have failed to take Ira Gram Panchayat into confidence in this regard.

When the issue was raised in the Assembly, the home minister had directed Mangaluru MLA U T Khader and Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik to solve the issue amicably.

Segregate waste

TMC chief officer Leena Britto appealed to the residents to segregate waste at source while handing it over to the waste collecting vehicles.

In the meeting chaired by the deputy commissioner, in the presence of MLAs Rajesh Naik and U T Khader, it was decided to dump only dry waste at Kanchinadkapadavu from March 23 onwards.